LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY

www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus

SOCIAL SCIENCES BSc /UCAS CODE: L3002020 ENTRY

Social Sciences BSc /

The BSc Social Sciences at UCL offers a globalperspective on social change, providing the toolsfor understanding and shaping future policy andpractice. We provide a broad-based education inthe social sciences (including sociology,psychology, politics and economics) through thestudy of topics such as education, migration, socialinequalities and social mobility. The programmealso offers the opportunity to study abroad for oneacademic year.

Key information

Programme startsSeptember 2020

LocationLondon, Bloomsbury

Degree benefits

// A global social sciences degree at UCL - London's global university -giving students the opportunity to explore the relationship betweenthe individual and society.

// An interdisciplinary degree offering you an understanding of keyglobal issues - their genesis and ways to tackle them. Rigoroustraining in research skills is invaluable for future employment andstudy. The degree offers students a considerable choice of optionalmodules.

// You will be taught by leading academics engaged in cutting-edgeresearch on children and families, social mobility, diversity, migrationand other key topics.

// The IOE is a world-leading school for education and social science,ranked as the world number one for Education for the sixth yearrunning (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019).

Degree structure

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules,normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits forthe year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they aretaken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies fromprogramme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module isconsidered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit TransferSystem (ECTS).

Each year, you will take a number of individual modules. First year coremodules focus on sociology and psychology, and an introduction toresearch methods. You can specialise in a further social sciencediscipline through optional modules.

In year two, core modules focus on social theory, social psychology, andadvanced research methods, while the wide range of optional modulesallows you to pursue your own areas of interest and specialise further.

Year three combines a core social science seminar module, involvingworkshops and seminars with invited guest speakers, with a wide rangeof optional modules. You will also conduct a research project and write adissertation.

Modules focus on understanding social, cultural, and economicdynamics and processes in societies and individual lives, includingeducation, health, gender, the labour market, income inequality, poverty,and public policy affecting them.

YEAR ONE

Core or compulsory module(s)

// Introduction to SociologySocial Change in Contemporary SocietyFoundations of Psychology IFoundations of Psychology IIIntroduction to Social Science ResearchDiscovering Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

Optional modules

// Students choose 1.0 course units of optional modules. Modules offered include:Politics: from Power to ParticipationUnderstanding Social PolicyIntroduction to Economics 1Introduction to Economics 2Note: Students also have access to a range of social science modules offered by otherUCL Departments, subject to availability. In the past, our students have taken modulesin Political Science, Anthropology, Education Studies, from the BASc degree, and otherDepartments. Not all modules are available every year, and some modules are capped.Not all module combinations are possible due to timetabling clashes.

YEAR TWO

Core or compulsory module(s)

// Social TheorySocial PsychologyQuantitative Research MethodsQualitative Research Methods

Optional modules

// Students choose 2.0 course units of optional modules. Modules offered include:Sociology of GenderLondon LabPublic Health in ContextSocial Inequality and MobilitySociology of ChildhoodHealth, Wellbeing and SocietyWork and Employment RelationsEconomics of EducationThe Economics of Children and FamiliesPopulation StudiesEconomics of Public PolicyPersonality and Individual DifferencesNote: Students also have access to a range of social science modules offered by otherUCL Departments, subject to availability. In the past, our students have taken modulesin Political Science, Anthropology, Education Studies, from the BASc degree, and otherDepartments. Some modules are capped and not all module combinations are possibledue to timetabling clashes.

FINAL YEAR

Core or compulsory module(s)

// Social Sciences DissertationSocial Science Seminar

Optional modules

// Students choose 2.5 course units of optional modules. Modules offered include:Thinking through identitiesGender, Families and WorkCitizenship, political exclusion and the racialised statePower, Conflict and Collective Action: The Sociology of Social MovementsLove, intimacy and sexualityMigration and SocietySocial Justice and Social PsychologyFood and SocietyPolitical SociologyAgeing and SocietyEconomics of Developing CountriesGame Theory for the Social SciencesSocial NetworksNote: Not all modules are available every year, and some modules are capped. Not allmodule combinations are possible due to timetabling clashes.

Your learning

Teaching on the degree includes a stimulating mix of lectures,small-group seminars, and workshops. All students have a personal tutorthroughout the three years of the degree. You will also attend practicalsessions to discover, explore, and analyse qualitative data (such asinterviews, visual material, and other data) and quantitative data throughstatistical techniques.

PlacementThere is the opportunity to study abroad for one academic year at one ofour partner institutions.

AssessmentAssessment is through a mix of essays, written examinations, practicalexercises, and a dissertation in the final year of study. The weight givento each assessment method varies across modules to ensure amanageable workload throughout the programme.

Your career

Social Sciences BSc students learn to understand and analyse complexglobal and social issues, gain multidisciplinary training in research skills,and learn how different research methods contribute to understandingreal-world phenomena. You will also have an opportunity to conduct anindependent research project for your dissertation.

The degree prepares you for a wide range of careers in the public andprivate sectors, as well as non-governmental organisations. You willdevelop excellent skills in critical thinking and empirical analysis, helpingto prepare you for employment or further study.

Your application

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (theUniversities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently atschool or college will be provided with advice on the process; however,applicants who have left school or who are based outside the UnitedKingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

In your personal statement you will need to demonstrate strong writingskills and analytical ability. You should also demonstrate your interest inglobal social issues, including social justice issues. You should showawareness that this is a broad-based interdisciplinary degree. Finally,you need to show that you can work effectively both on your own and aspart of a group. We assess applications in the round, and value voluntarywork and evidence of engagement in social issues.

Entry requirements

A LEVELSStandard Offer: AAA. No specific subjects.

Contextual Offer: ABB. No specific subjects.

GCSEEnglish Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6. For UK-basedstudents, a grade C or 5 or equivalent in a foreign language (other thanAncient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL providesopportunities to meet the foreign language requirement followingenrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs

IB DIPLOMAStandard Offer: 38 points. A score of 18 points in three higher levelsubjects, with no score below 5.

Contextual Offer: 34 points. A score of 16 points in three higher levelsubjects, with no score below 5.

CONTEXTUAL OFFERS – ACCESS UCL SCHEMEAs part of our commitment to increasing participation fromunderrepresented groups, students may be eligible for a contextual offeras part of the Access UCL scheme. For more information seewww.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus

OTHER QUALIFICATIONSUCL considers a wide range of UK and international qualifications forentry into its undergraduate programmes. Full details are given at:www.ucl.ac.uk/otherquals

UNDERGRADUATE PREPARATORY CERTIFICATES(International foundation courses)UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensiveone-year foundation courses for international students of high academicpotential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degreeprogrammes at UCL and other top UK universities.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school systemwhich does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc.

TUITION FEES

The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2020/21academic year. The UK/EU fees shown are for the first year of theprogramme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to aninflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that willbe charged to 2020/21 entrants for each year of study on theprogramme, unless otherwise indicated below.

// UK & EU: £9,250 (2020/21)

// Overseas: £21,260 (2020/21)

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potentialincreases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costsIf you are concerned by potential additional costs for books,equipment, etc. on this programme, please get in touch with therelevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

FUNDING

Various funding options are available, including student loans,scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household incomefalls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayablebursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and fundingpages for more details.

CONTACT

Dr Katie Quy

Email: bsc-socsciences@ucl.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7911 5592

Department: Social Science

BrexitFor up-to-date information relating to specific key questions followingthe UK's decision to leave the EU, please refer to:www.ucl.ac.uk/brexit

DisclaimerThis information is for guidance only. It should not be construed asadvice nor relied upon and does not form part of any contract. Formore information on UCL's degree programmes please see the UCLUndergraduate Prospectus at www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus

PDF updated: 17 October 2019 © UCL 2018